Vaccine Access Act Passes Florida House

By wctv.tv – Press Release

The Vaccine Access Act (HB 509/SB 850), a bill that will allow qualified pharmacists to administer the shingles and pneumonia vaccine in addition to influenza vaccines to adults in Florida.

Tallahassee, Fla. – Pharmacy Choice & Access Now (PCAN), a nationwide coalition of consumers, local business and pharmacists today applauds the Florida House of Representatives and House bill sponsor Representative Ana Rivas Logan (R-Miami) for passing the Vaccine Access Act (HB 509/SB 850), a bill that will allow qualified pharmacists to administer the shingles and pneumonia vaccine in addition to influenza vaccines to adults in Florida. The House approved the Act 118-0.

“This vote puts us one step closer to improving Floridians access to critical vaccines,” said Bill Mincy, BPharm, Vice President of Business Development of PPSC, and the National Board Chair of PCAN, a coalition working to preserve quality and affordable health care and pharmacy services for patients. “The Vaccine Access Act is commonsense policy that will help make our state a healthier place. Pharmacists are a highly-trained and trusted healthcare provider that will play a vital role in increasing vaccination rates.”

Although many other states have expanded the reach of vaccinations by allowing pharmacists to administer multiple types of critical vaccines, Florida statutes currently only permit the influenza vaccine to be administered by qualified and certified Florida pharmacists. Forty-five states allow qualified pharmacists to administer the pneumonia vaccine and 46 states allow pharmacists to administer Zostavax for shingles with a prescription.

“In the five years since qualified Florida pharmacists have been authorized to administer influenza immunizations, the program has been a definite success,” said Michael Jackson, executive vice president and CEO of the Florida Pharmacy Association and member of PCAN. “Not one adverse incident has been reported as a result of pharmacists immunizing patients. We want to be able to continue this proven track record with these additional vaccinations and support patient accessibility to vital disease prevention programs.”